I want a cat, but.......

[Robininred]

I really want a cat, however our house has white carpet in every room (not my choice, it was like that when we bought the house).

We also live in the countryside, surrounded by very, very muddy fields. I am not sure what the solution is.....I don't really want the carpet to be ruined as it's very expensive almost new carpet and we cannot afford to re-carpet the house. Any suggestions?

What about getting a house cat? I worry that is cruel, or that the cat would escape when we have windows open and get lost......

Rescue centres such as Cat's Protection have indoor cats that need re-homing. This is usually because they've contracted Feline IV and although well cannot come into contact with other cats. Just a thought.

That's good to know. How do you stop indoor cats getting out though? We love fresh air in our house so always have the windows open and in the summer the patio doors too......

Get a white cat? And one of those magic mats that absorbs dirt? If you didn't have a cat flap you could let the cat into the kitchen if it's wet, dry it a bit, let it walk around til it's fully dry then let it into the house again. Just open the upstairs windows to air. In summer when patio doors are open the cat won't be that muddy anyway.

Cats like being clean. We have huge muddy fields behind us and the kids still track in more dirt on shoes than the cat ever brings in. Most don't like being in squishy mud, mine hates the ground sinking under him (snow, deep mud) so haunts the hard bits of ground and fences etc.

No cat flap also means the cat won't kill wildlife on your lounge carpet (thank you our cat, dead pigeon, brilliant). If you like windows open I don't think an indoor cat would work, it might throw itself out the first floor if it wants to roam.

Or you could buy some darker coloured rugs - (but I know they can be an expensive solution and you may as well just recarpet if you do that!)

Cats ARE quite clean, however they don't stop and wipe their paws at the front door, so you are likely to at least need a darker mat by the doors or cat flap. My cat does leave paw prints on white bed sheets etc, (and sometimes its not just mud FYI! Gross, but all part of having a pet).

If you opt for an indoor cat, (which I agree is not the best option for most cats, but in some cases is necessary for special needs cats like those with FIV or missing legs etc) then leaving windows open isn't possible unless you are in the room unfortunately. You'd need to get a net put over them or something, which I would guess you wouldn't want to do as it woudn't look so nice.

I think if you really want a cat, might just have to clear up the odd muddy paw print on occassion. At least with white carpet you can use bleach, which works a charm! Just remember to wash it off thoroughly afterwards or your cat could get it on their paws and it can turn yellow after a while.

Mostly though, once you have your lovely feline companion, you'll probably just find their little trail of paw prints cute :D

My cats never come in muddy, wet occasionally, but not dirty...

I don't know how you've managed that tabula. The other day when it was really wet outside I was cleaning muddy pawprints from along all floors, and kitchen work tops, on top of the microwave and even, thanks to the exhuberant kittens, half way up the bedroom wallpaper (kittens ability to climb vertical walls never ceases to amaze me).

Oh I'm not taking any credit for it... I can only assume they avoid mud? To be fair one of them does just avoid any weather other than warm and sunny, but the other goes out in all weathers - she just doesn't seem to get dirty.